17-Halo-17-acyloxypregnenes are known in the art to have topical antiinflammatory activity. Representative of the art disclosing these steroids are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,642,780 and 3,644,340.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,009 discloses steroids having the following partial structure ##STR2## wherein R.sub.a is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or arylalkyl and R.sub.b is hydrogen, methyl, hydroxyl, esterified hydroxyl or .beta.-halogen. The steroids are said to be useful as, inter alia, antiinflammatory agents.